Sleepless
by ZePuKa
Summary: What if there are parallel realities to ours? What if, when you're asleep, you're able to resonate with another reality? What if your dreams are foggy memories of that reality? What if some people have the miraculous ability to fully recall it all, ever sleepless?
1. Beginnings

**Opening Remarks**

A quick apology to everyone who's waiting on the next chapter of "Double Date": the idea for this "Sleepless" story has been plaguing my mind since halfway through writing "Bitter Truth", and I found myself simply unable to focus on "Double Date" until I'd freed up some space in my brain. I really needed to just get a lot of these ideas out on 'paper' since they kept begging me to write them, so I hope you'll enjoy reading this in the interim.

Before we begin, please note that though this is a demon AU, the creatures in this fic known as 'demons', as well as any other beings, are creations of my own and not strictly associated with any existing mythical and/or religious beings of the same name, even if they may share some of the same attributes. This is meant to a fun and intriguing fic, not a presentation on my beliefs of good and evil forces. I chose the term 'demon' as the characteristics of my AU presentation of the kwamis has some similarities with what's commonly associated with demons. As such, there will be some banter and mincing of terms that are commonly thought of as religious. Please note that these do not necessarily reflect my views on any religions and they are not meant to attack or offend anyone.

* * *

 **Sleepless**  
Chapter 1: Beginnings

 _I made a deal with a demon._

* * *

"So, I'll have superpowers and be able to fight alongside THE Ladybug!?" Adrien exclaimed, eyes glittering with excitement, "You must be an angel!"

"I take offense to that." The cat-like man in a trench coat stated, unamused. Plagg was his name, and he bore a commanding presence, standing tall at six-foot-five (six-foot-eight if you counted the cat ears), as he loomed over the giddy boy. Plagg's eye began to twitch ever so slightly as he pondered to himself if this kid _really_ had what it took to be his host. As a tall, dark, and handsome demon himself, he doubted the compatibility of this potential vessel, standing at a mere five-foot-nine with his fair hair barely at Plagg's shoulders. That wasn't even the most disconcerting part, however. He had expected a more brooding attitude, as he had sensed an angry, despairing soul… That's what had drawn him initially to seek out this boy. But now that he'd explained the offer, the boy's countenance had done a one-eighty. Heaving a sigh now that he was starting to regret his pick, the demon once more addressed the over-eager teen, "Are you _sure_ you understand the price of this contract?"

The blond paused for a moment, hesitation shaking him of his cheery expression. A cloud seemed to overcome his features, and Plagg couldn't help but smirk in satisfaction. There it was again, that despondent vibe he thrived off of. With a deliciously sullen edge to his voice, Adrien replied quietly, "There's nothing left for me here anyway."

"Then we have ourselves a deal?" Plagg inquired with velvet voice and bewitching smile.

* * *

" _Blast. All down for the count."_ Ladybug lamented as she inspected the six bodies that lay strewn about, all still breathing, but none exactly in any sort of shape to start singing.

" _I keep telling you to scale down the power, girl."_ Tikki replied telepathically, which Ladybug was still getting used to even though it'd been a few weeks. One of the side effects of hosting a demon was involuntarily sharing your inner thoughts with them, just as you share your body. At first it had felt like an invasion of privacy, but lately Ladybug had come to value the added stealth and heightened strategy it could provide.

" _Sorry,"_ Ladybug responded in kind, remaining silent in case there were any prying ears nearby, _"Still don't know my own super-strength. A few weeks ago I was a spindly little thing with no muscle to speak of. My instincts still scream at me to throw everything I can into each punch."_

" _Well if you want to gain information, they kinda need to be conscious…"_ Tikki deadpanned, and Ladybug could just imagine that if they were face-to-face, Tikki would be tapping a foot impatiently with her arms crossed. Tikki was a good teacher, but she was none too patient, especially when she had an end-goal in mind.

" _Okay, okay, point taken, Tikki… I'll be gentler next time. For now, let's hope there's something to be garnered from their bodies and belongings."_

Ladybug set herself to the task, checking for wallets, custom weapons, planners, receipts – anything that could give her some insight into who they were and what their ultimate objective was. Five of the would-be robbers had been on guard, at the ready and protecting the last guy, who was using some sort of elaborate tech set up (which she'd accidentally destroyed in the scuffle as well, much to Tikki's chagrin. The laptop would've been another great source of information.) to bypass the security to the door of the museum.

Usually the robbers she ran into were into much pettier heists, as in the long-run, they tended to pay off more. Cash was always cash; but the more valuable an item was, the harder it typically was to obtain and resell. A museum, well… everything in it was highly valuable, sure, but everything in it was so highly famous, you'd need serious underbelly connections if you ever hoped to profit. So had they been in it for the glory? Was this the whole gang, or were they merely foot soldiers?

The first four bodies were clean; nothing but standard weapons and generic clothing on them. The fifth guy's shirt still had the tag from the store attached. Apparently high-stakes heist men shopped at Thrift-O-Mart.

" _You'd think a life of crime would afford them some more expensive clothing…_ " Tikki remarked, sensing Ladybug's surprise.

" _Well either they just started this life of crime, or they're good enough to know they wanna go in 'clean' and avoid leaving any traces of DNA or identifiable personal items. Cheap clothing you can wear once and ditch in the river would be the way to go._ "

Finally making her way through the debris that was once the last gentleman's laptop – the seventh victim of her lack of restraint, technically - Ladybug rolled him over, searching him like she did the others.

It was as she was searching his chest pocket for any artifacts that something strange caught her eye; what she'd assumed was a tattoo on his forehead had begun to fade – rapidly.

" _Tikki?_ "

Without needing to voice her question, Ladybug was immediately answered with, " _Uh oh, this isn't good… That's a demon's kiss."_

Ladybug instinctively reached out to touch the fading mark on the perp's skin, hoping to learn something from the texture that may be present, but Tikki screamed in her head to stop and Ladybug recoiled involuntarily, Tikki taking over control completely. When she released her hold a moment later, Ladybug mentally screamed, _"Geez, Tikki! What gives!? A little warning would've been nice!"_

" _Sorry, LB, didn't mean to rattle you. It's just that you should never touch a demon's kiss… Depending on how powerful the demon is that left it, there could still be some residual curse that could affect you. It takes a rather powerful demon to leave such a mark in the first place – not many demons have that gift. Even us demons fear the ones who can."_

Approaching more cautiously this time, Ladybug inspected the faint and nearly gone tattoo. At first glance it had appeared to be just a cliché angel wing tat, but the more she looked, the more she noticed, even as it faded. Even though it had looked black when she first saw it, it was fading in hues of purple, and the wings weren't solid, but rather made up of tiny letters, the writing of which she couldn't make out…

" _Someone's coming!"_ Tikki hissed, though Ladybug wasn't sure why she had bothered to whisper when she was already completely silent to the outside world.

Ladybug hastily retreated into the shadows, ducking behind a nearby building.

" _Tikki, stealth mode."_ She instructed. The demon acquiesced, a faint glow escaping as the scale-like armor that she had donned for the battle gave way to an all-black ensemble. The combat pants, cami, and hoodie served to cloak her body in shadow, such that only the whites of her eyes and lower half of her face were readily visible in low-lighting. A red turtleneck mask veiled the exposed parts of her face, reaching up over the bridge of her nose, which she liked to imagine gave the impression that she was made of shadow and yet feasted on the blood of her enemies. Lame vampire comparisons aside, she hoped it made her look like an intimidating ninja if nothing else – she and Tikki were still working on wardrobe decisions.

She was thus a bit shocked when she peered around the side of the building she'd taken refuge behind and saw someone – a young, male someone - inspecting the abandoned laptop, wearing nearly the same thing. With the exception of a few more accents, like gleaming silver zippers, iridescent green trim, and a pair of fabric ears affixed to the top of the hood, they could be twins. Perhaps she'd started a trend.

As she studied him, she noticed that his build was slim but muscular, and although he wasn't particularly large, he seemed like he'd pose a larger threat than the unconscious thugs he was now investigating had done. She found her eyes lingering longer than they needed to, but she reasoned it was because he was clearly in a higher league and she needed all the intel she could get, for tactical reasons. The way he carried himself, his fluid movements, and the keen, intelligent green eyes he used to observe his surroundings all pointed to his greater potential as a threat. She'd have to make sure she had the upper hand if she wanted to ensure a quick victory. Looks like she'd have to rely on stealth and the element of surprise.

It was over almost instantly. His back was now pinned against the wall of the museum, but he didn't so much as flinch at the impact, seemingly unfazed by her attack. Ladybug held a dagger to his throat as blue eyes searched green. They dilated rapidly, as if in excitement, rather than doubt or shock of his situation. She hadn't been expecting that; most people would be cowering in fear by this point. She also hadn't been expecting to reach this point so soon. Now that she could feel his build with her own hands, she could tell that her initial observations had been correct – he could've put up far more of a fight if he'd wanted to.

Then there was the matter of his cat ears… She'd seen them twitch moments before she attacked, so they weren't part of the costume like she'd initially thought; he'd heard her coming. She had meant to slam him against the wall face-first, as that's the way he had been facing and it'd put her at a greater advantage, but in the split seconds in-between the time he first detected her and when she made contact, he'd managed to do an about-face. Talk about cat-like reflexes. There was definitely something supernatural at work, both in his abilities and the effect he was having on her. She'd subconsciously relaxed her grip the moment she beheld his face from mere centimeters away. She'd fought attractive faces before, but those faces hadn't been quite so exquisite.

"Who are you?" Ladybug demanded, eyes narrowing to let him know she wouldn't be tolerating lies, "A copycat?"

His face was turning a curious shade of red, which only made her think that whatever he said next would be lies. Her grip tightened on her blade, ready to press it just a little deeper to let the stranger know she was serious, but Tikki's voice rang in her head, " _Stand down, Ladybug. I sense Plagg's presence in the boy."_

" _He's one of yours?"_

" _Seems so, unfortunately."_

Ladybug noted that Tikki's tone wasn't entirely sarcastic, nor direly serious. Whatever their relationship, it promised to be an interesting story. She bookmarked that confrontation for later; for now, there were more pressing matters to attend to. Speaking of pressing…

"Well then," Ladybug addressed the boy once more, easing up her grip and putting a little distance between them so she was no longer sandwiching him between herself and the door. She brushed off the foreign feeling that arose when their contact broke, distracting herself with the task of pulling down her mask so she could speak properly. Forcing her features to stay serious and voice even, she informed the man, "Tikki tells me that you're host to one called 'Plagg', so I won't be beating you up after all. Guess it's your lucky day, even if you are a black cat."

"Hey, I like that!" the lad said with enthusiasm after he removed his own mask, surprising her yet again. He was flashing her the most dazzling smile, and for reasons unfathomable, she was feeling a bit unsteady, weak in the knees, even. She wasn't expecting him to be so… upbeat? Giddy? Enthralled? Heck, he was looking downright thrilled right now even though he'd just stepped foot onto a crime scene, was surrounded by six unconscious thugs, and had just been held at knife point by one of the more well-known vigilantes of Paris. Surprise gave way to indignation as she bristled at the thought that he wasn't taking her seriously. Here she was, treating him like the worthy opponent she assumed him to be, yet he was shrugging her off like he'd decided to just walk out his front door this evening and shop for unconscious thieves and broken laptops at Thrift-O-Mart, and she was merely the bag lady. To top it all off, he reeked of inexperience… She'd peg him at no more than six hours' possession. He was being way too cocky for his experience level, and she found herself both annoyed by and jealous of it.

"Although I think I'd prefer the French version." He continued, cupping his chin with his forefinger and his thumb as though deep in thought. After a moment's contemplation, he snapped his fingers and proclaimed, "That settles it. My name will be Chat Noir."

" _Oh boy, looks like you've adopted a stray, Ladybug…"_ Tikki taunted in a sing-song voice, _"And you've already named him… They say once you do that, you're hopelessly attached."_

Ignoring her shoulder demon – or rather, head demon? – Ladybug pressed on, "Okay, 'Chat Noir', what are you doing here?"

"Looking for you, of course! I'm your new partner!"

Ladybug prided herself on her ability to keep a controlled countenance and steely expression, but she was unable to stop the involuntary grimace and eye twitch that resulted from his declaration. The thought of teaming up with someone else had never occurred to her. She was a lone vigilante, a solitary soldier in the underworld… not that she'd been doing this all that long, but still… It was still all so surreal, and she was sure at times that it would all fade into nothing someday, so no, she hadn't given future plans to team up and expand any thought, and she didn't want to.

"Uh… don't take this the wrong way, but I sorta… work alone." Ladybug fibbed, hoping he'd buy the excuse. She forced herself to regain a stoic expression, hoping he hadn't noticed her surprise and subsequent cover-up.

It didn't work. He laughed. LAUGHED, of all things, like this really was just a game to him. This guy was starting to get on her nerves, so she allowed it to show with a frown and furrowed brow.

"Sorry, sorry" Chat placated, holding a hand up in apology, "It's just that… you're just like me, so I know that you're actually NEVER alone. 'Tikki', you said? You already work with her, er… or him? I guess I shouldn't presume, haha…"

And now he was getting under her skin. _"Great, a smart aleck."_ she mused. Yet, even though he was annoying, a small part of her had relaxed at the humor. He was putting her at ease, encouraging her to let her guard down and that meant that he was dangerous, and thus she didn't want him anywhere near her.

"Fine, you pedantic little prick." Ladybug snapped, though she couldn't completely conceal the hint of amusement in her voice, nor the coy upturn of her lip that came with, " _Tikki_ and I prefer to work by ourselves."

Chat returned her smile with a flirtatious smirk of his own, rebutting, "Well a preference isn't a refusal, so at least allow me the chance to _purr_ suade you to change your mind."

Ladybug rolled her eyes at his continued jesting antics, but she was finding it hard to completely erase the smile from her face, "Fat chance. There's no way I'm gonna get stuck babysitting _you_ , pretty boy."

"Aw," Chat cooed, eyes now half-lidded and mouth stretched in an all-out Cheshire-cat grin, "You think I'm pretty? I'm flattered, m'lady."

"… _.Curses."_ She'd meant that as an insult, gosh darn it! How had this turned from a battle of wit to a battle of flirt? She couldn't back down now… She couldn't show weakness! She had to gain the high ground, turn this around in her favor, use his weaknesses against him! …Problem was, she didn't know what his weaknesses _were._ The only way she'd learn what they were would be to observe him further… But that would mean she'd have to agree to his request. She felt like she was backed into a corner, even though he was the one with his back against a wall… _"Hm, may as well use it…"_

" _Please do."_ she heard Tikki affirm with a note of amusement in her tone, like she couldn't wait to see Ladybug's thought-out plan unfold.

Ladybug seized Chat Noir by the collar and pushed him, harder than she'd meant to (Tikki would no doubt chastise her for her lack of restraint again), so that he hit the surface with a thud that got the desired result. _He_ was the shocked one this time, and that cocky grin and twinkle in his eye had vanished. Giddy with her small victory, but hiding it with her best death glare, she flashed a sadistic smile as she declared, "You do NOT get to call me 'your lady' until you manage to achieve partner status, IF you manage to get that far."

Recovering quickly after getting slammed against the wall, Chat Noir's smile returned, this time more mischievous in nature, accepting her challenge. "So you _will_ give me a chance then… You won't be disappointed," He began, calmly removing one of her hands that was gripping his hoodie, "I guarantee it." He sealed his promise by drawing her hand to his lips and ghosting a kiss across the knuckles, sending a shiver down her spine.

Refusing to show him any reaction, rattled though she was by his touch and nonchalant attitude, she turned heel and casually strode back towards the laptop, intending to retrieve it. "You have two weeks," Ladybug announced, "Don't disappoint me. I can't stand liars who don't live up to their word." Not looking back, for fear that her face would betray how shaken she truly was, she quickly stooped and picked up the laptop, hoping the hard drive would still be in good enough condition to get some useful data off of it. With a salute in Chat Noir's general direction, for she still didn't trust herself to face him, she bade him farewell with her signature phrase, "Bug out!" and ran off into the night.

* * *

The newly-christened 'Chat Noir' heaved a sigh as Ladybug faded into the distance, evoking an amused snort from Plagg.

" _So, was she everything you anticipated?"_ the demon inquired.

"Everything and more…" Chat sighed contentedly.

" _You know I can hear you just fine in here."_ Plagg informed, " _No need to talk out loud. We don't want to attract attention while we're still at a crime scene… and these guys could wake up any moment."_

" _Sorry, still not used to this."_

" _Well get used to it. Otherwise, people gonna think yo' crazy, talking to yourself like that."_

" _Haha, noted. So… was it just me, or did Ladybug seem kinda… upset?"_

" _I mean, she didn't seem to appreciate you presuming to be her equal."_

" _No, I mean… Didn't you see her eyes? There was a deep… I dunno, sadness… or loneliness of some sort…"_

" _Loneliness, maybe… She'd_ have _to be lonely to flirt with the likes of you."_

" _Hey! I can be a cool cat… I thought I was pretty smooth back there…"_

" _Pretty cheesy, you mean."_

" _Wait, do you really think she was flirting with me!? I kinda thought maybe she was, but I mean, I also just assumed it was wishful thinking on my part…"_

" _Hard to say, kid… One moment she looked like she wanted to kiss you, and the next she looked like she wanted to put you six feet under. If you want my advice, stay away from her, kid… The temperamental ones are always trouble."_

" _Great news; I_ don't _want your advice."_

" _Hey, don't say I didn't warn ya… If nothing else, a little part of her is always gonna hate you, so be careful of that."_

" _Huh? What do you mean? How would you know?"_

" _Chat Noir is two people: you and me. Likewise, Ladybug is two people: Tikki and her host. Tikki hates me, thus Ladybug will always hate you in part."_

" _Why does Tikki hate you?"_

" _That's a story for another day, kid. For now, let's think about calling it a night, yeah?"_

Adrien glanced around, like he was just now remembering that they were surrounded by unconscious thieves – who would probably be waking up soon. He re-donned his mask and started to leave the scene, though he wasn't sure which direction to head… So he decided on leaving the same way Ladybug had.

A smile crept across Chat's face as his mind replayed the events from just a few minutes before. Making sure he was addressing him internally, Chat spoke once again to his demon, _"By the way, thank you so much for this opportunity; I can't believe I got to meet Ladybug face to face - literally!"_

" _I take it you liked what you saw."_

" _Ah, there's no one else like her! Her face is downright angelic!"_

" _You know, she's just like us; I think 'demonic' is the term you're looking for."_

" _But 'demonic' typically means 'ugly', Plagg…"_

" _You humans and your stereotypes. You saw me before our contract, right? I don't mean to brag or nothin', but I've received my fair share of cat calls."_

" _How about 'devilish' then?"_

" _Well, it's a start… Come on, kid, focus! We gotta find someplace to crash for the night."_

"… _We do?"_

" _Uh, yeah? Were you listening earlier? When you signed our contract, you became nameless, with nothing to your name – "_

" _How can I have nothing to a name I don't even have?"_

" _Hush, let me finish."_

" _But you contradicted – "_

" _How do you like being interrupted, eh? Not so nice, am I right? So do unto others as you would have them do to you, blah blah blah, all that jazz."_

" _Fine. Go ahead. Just know that I'm glaring at you on the outside… and the inside. Man, it's so weird having a conversation with someone on the inside… The lack of eye contact is really throwing me off."_

" _Now you're just getting sidetracked. Try to keep up, kid - Chat Noir. 'Adrien', is no more. All your assets, including your prior dwelling, are no longer in your reach now that you've assumed a new identity. As such, we're starting fresh here; so we've got a lot to do before the night is over."_

" _Alright, lead the way… figuratively of course, 'cause I mean, neither of us can 'lead' when there's only one body here… Gah, I'm still geeking out about that…"_

"… _This is gonna be a loooooong night."_

* * *

 _Did I wake up from a nightmare, or fall into a dream?_

* * *

Marinette Dupain-Cheng had always loved to sleep in. The cozy warmth of her blankets was always a welcome embrace, all curled up in pillows and stuffed animals, letting the last vestiges of a good dream linger in her hazy consciousness as she basked in blissful relaxation. Unfortunately, this recreational habit of hers had some less-than-optimal side effects – such as delayed departures and chronic tardiness. Her parents had thus been thrilled when their daughter's freshman semester at college had cured her of the habit overnight. Or at least, they had been, initially…

Tom Dupain greeted his daughter as she joined him in the bakery kitchen, not even five minutes after he'd arrived himself. The hour was wee in the morning, 4:30 to be exact. If one squinted their eyes hard enough, they _may_ just be able to make out the faintest line of dawn on the horizon.

With a yawn, Marinette groggily returned the greeting and grabbed an apron, making every move to aid her father in prepping the dough for the morning's wares.

"You look so tired, Mari, why don't you go back to bed? I can manage just fine." Tom suggested with a warm smile. Sure, he'd love his daughter's help, and the quality time, but over the past few weeks, he was beginning to worry his daughter would burn out if she didn't start getting more quality shut-eye.

"No, mmm'kay, p'mise." She mumbled in reply, stifling another yawn. Truth was, she was anything but 'mmm-kay', but she wouldn't let on. She wanted to cherish every moment she had with her father this morning before she had to leave for school. The university wasn't very far, but it was far enough to be too far away for daily commute, so she lived on campus and usually visited her parents on the weekends. Seeing as how it was Monday morning and she had afternoon classes, she only had a precious few hours before she'd have to head back.

Busying herself preparing the hearty dough for breads since her father had already started on the flaky dough for pastries, she tried to focus on the task at hand instead of dwelling on the nightmare that had woken her up at the crap of dawn. It was a hard thing to do when her body was exhausted and her mind was still reeling with the vividness of the dream. It certainly didn't help that these dreams had been continuous, like her subconscious was writing a twisted fantasy soap opera over the past few weeks. It wasn't just the continuity that spooked her, but the fact that everything just felt _so real_ \- as real and as tangible as the dough she was now kneading.

Last night had been ten times worse than normal though… Her nightmares, though still freaky, had settled into a sort of rhythm, and she had just started to think she could reconcile herself with them as just that – a new nightly routine. Bizarre, but predictable, and thus manageable. But last night's dream had changed all that. A new variable had entered the picture, and with him, a whole new range of emotions that made the dream seem that much more of a reality. As her fingers worked the dough, memories of how he had felt beneath her grip came rushing back full force. "' _Memories'? Is that really what they are?_ " She'd always called them dreams before, never memories… _"He wasn't even a real person, right? He was just a figment of my over-active imagination, right?"_ So how come he'd been able to have such a real and varied effect on her?

She decided she didn't have the mental energy to puzzle through her questions right now, however, as especially first thing in the morning, she always felt more drained than when she went to bed. The experience of having such vivid dreams had her feeling like she was constantly awake. Which she might as well be, given how much of an early bird these nightmares had made her, jolting her awake at ungodly hours of the morning. Yet old habits die hard, and with the combined fear of facing another nightmare, she was still very much a night owl as well. Guess that made her an insomniac fowl, or something…? Why were the technical terms all bird-related anyway?

"Ah, Marinette, careful!" Tom's voice infiltrated her thoughts, but it was too late. In her daze, she hadn't seen the countertop island that had so _rudely_ intersected her path. The bowl of dough she had been carrying to the proofer went flying and so did she, and she found herself briefly wishing she was as graceful in real life as she was in her nightmares.

* * *

"Have a safe trip, honey! We love you!" Sabine called once more as her daughter ran off – or rather, hobbled off, using a borrowed crutch to help support the weight of her now-twisted ankle - to catch her bus back to the university.

"Do you think she'll make it there in time?" Tom asked, drawing his wife into a one-armed hug.

"Let's hope so… She shouldn't have waited until the last minute like that."

"I hope she's okay… She seemed so reluctant to leave… and while I'm happy she's still so close to us even though she's a college kid now… I feel like she's gotten clingier as of late, instead of gradually breaking away…"

"She's probably just having a hard time adjusting to college life." Sabine shrugged, though she too was also a little worried. Marinette had Nino and Alya to keep her company, yet Marinette insisted on still coming home every weekend to visit them. "I'm sure once she makes a few more friends at college, she'll want to spend more time with them than with us."

"But, the look in her eyes… It's like each time she leaves, she's afraid she'll never see us again… You don't think she's in trouble or anything?"

"I'm sure if she was in any serious trouble, she'd tell us, dear. For now, we can only hope and pray that things don't get that bad but instead start looking up."

* * *

"Adrien, wake up! You'll be late for your classes!"

A voice cut through his consciousness and he woke with a shiver. Adrien instinctively reached for the glasses on his nightstand, and once he donned them, Nathalie came into focus, and he found himself lamenting the fact that he didn't lock the door last night. He was much too old for his father's secretary to be coming into his bedroom to wake him up; he wasn't a little kid anymore.

His awakening was made even less pleasant as he tried to hold on to the good dream he'd been having but felt it begin to slip away in the aftershock of his rude awakening. It had been an exciting dream, he supposed, though he recalled some not-so-pleasant moments as well… but it had all felt so real, and he had become a superhero! It was like his mind was subconsciously writing a comic book of his life.

"NOW, Adrien, or you'll be late!" Nathalie insisted, inciting a groan from the tired teen.

"So what?" he rebelled, lifting his glasses to rub his eyes.

"Look, I know you're used to being homeschooled your whole life and thus having a little leeway in the mornings, but this is college now, and class starts when the university schedule dictates.

That got Adrien feeling wide awake. University? But… his father had said…

"Wait, what?" Adrien asked, and Nathalie, though usually stoic, cracked a small grin.

"Your father suddenly announced last night that he wanted me to register you for classes at the university. He pulled some strings so you could start going to classes while your registration is being processed. It pays to have a rich and famous father, you know."

A wide grin taking over his face, Adrien leapt out of bed in excitement, shooing Nathalie out so he could change. He couldn't believe this sudden turn of events! His father actually listening to his request for once? He had been so adamant about Adrien starting full time modelling for his fashion line rather than 'wasting time going to university' since, if Gabriel had his way, Adrien would have no need for a degree. It seemed that Adrien's insistent begging and pleading had finally gotten through to him. It was all too good to be true… So much so that he halted in his tracks, nearly dropping the change of clothes he'd just picked up.

This was so out of character for his father, it couldn't be real… Maybe… was it possible? Was he dreaming? No, that was ridiculous… These clothes felt real, his bedroom was real, tangible, and every detail just as he'd remembered it throughout his life. Maybe his father just had a moment of revelation and realized he'd lost nineteen years of his son's life and wanted to start making it up to him? He had a lot of 'making up' to do though, since Adrien was seriously thinking that a dream where he was a superhero could be more plausible than his father listening to his wishes for once.

* * *

"You okay, girl?" Alya asked, sliding into the seat next to her raven-haired friend.

"Yeah, I just twisted my ankle a little this morning is all…" Marinette replied, heaving a sigh.

"That's not what I meant. Crutches are an on-and-off accessory with you, given your propensity for testing gravity. I meant your spirit, girl. You look wiped and defeated."

"I'm alright, just tired…" Marinette asserted, gratefully accepting the tumbler of fresh-brewed coffee Alya offered her.

"Another nightmare?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Either you had another sleepless night, or you're a descendant of a raccoon, with those rings around your eyes. I'm telling you, Mari; it's the stress. You need to take something off your plate before you go crazy."

"Maybe I'm already crazy, Alya… These nightmares I've been having…"

"Alright class, put those cell phones away," The professor instructed, putting an end to the girls', and everyone else's, conversations as he started the class, "We'll be starting off with a pop quiz, so I hope you all did the reading assignment this weekend."

With a collective groan, the students did as they were instructed, and fifteen minutes later, Marinette was turning her quiz in at the front. She was about begin the arduous journey back up the stairs to her seat when the sound of the classroom door creaking open like it was screaming, "I really need my hinges greased", caught her attention. It had been a fleeting glance, purely instinctual, but she couldn't stop herself from doing a double take as emerald eyes caught hers, peeking out from behind black-rimmed glasses. The boy – nay, man – reminded her of a deer, caught in the headlights, unsure whether he should move or stay put in the door frame, eyes every bit as wide, innocent, and beautiful as a doe. Something about those eyes struck a chord in Marinette… like maybe she'd seen them before… once upon a dream… but who was she kidding? This was real life, not a fairytale, so there was no way this was truly love at first sight… No way.

"Can I help you?" The professor snapped, clearly irritated that his class's pop quiz was being interrupted.

"Sorry…" The flustered blond stated, rubbing a hand nervously behind his head, "I'm just looking for the THEA104 class… Didn't mean to interrupt anything."

"Yes, this is the theater arts introduction class… Ah, you must be that late addition to the class roster! I got an e-mail about that this morning, but only had time to glance over it. I trust you'll be more… punctual from now on, yes?"

"Oh, yes!" the new student responded over-enthusiastically, and Marinette couldn't help but giggle. She immediately regretted it though, as the professor's attention snapped to her and he stated, "Marinette, why don't you help him get situated since you've already turned in your quiz?"

* * *

"Girl, I can't believe you tripped UP the stairs!" Alya guffawed, inciting a wince from her friend.

"Alya, you don't have to rub it in…" Marinette whimpered, face going red.

"Hey, at least for the time-being, you can blame your lack of grace on the crutch." Alya reasoned, before poking Marinette in the arm and teasing, "Sooooo, when are you gonna ask him out?"

"Wh-what makes you think I'd do that?"

"Oh come on! You were practically drooling over him the whole lesson!"

"Oh no, did I really!? He didn't notice, did he!?"

"Would it be so bad if he did?"

"Of course! I already made a complete fool of myself within the first minute of meeting him! There's no way I can make an approach anytime soon; not until I've redeemed myself in his eyes!"

"Hey, you don't even know what he likes! For all you know, he could totally have a thing for, uh, _acrobatic_ girls who have a hard time speaking around him."

"'Acrobatic' is a bit of a stretch, don't you think?"

"Well it certainly sounds better than 'klutz' or 'spaz'… Did you intend that 'stretch' pun, Mari? Seriously, you need to give it a rest. We're in college now; word play is no longer cool."

"Aw, don't quit on me now! Take a _leap_ of faith; you love _jumping_ on the opportunity to tease me about my _tumbles_."

"Ugh, those word games were always more yours and Nino's thing… Why did I choose to hang out with you guys again?"

"'Cause you love us?" a new voice piped in, stepping between the two girls as he draped an arm over each's shoulders.

"Hey, Nino, how'd you do on the pop quiz?" Alya inquired, slipping her hand into his.

Marinette fell back a bit, wanting to let the lovers have a little privacy. She had been so happy for them when they started going out a few months ago – and she'd been sure to give Alya the proper amount of grief about it. They'd been dancing around each other for years, both obviously liking each other but both too scared to make a move on account of fearing they'd make their friendship trio awkward. She'd never understood why they were so worried about that, because, with the exception of that awkward summer when Nino developed a crush on herself, the two had harbored feelings for each other ever since they'd met in 9th grade.

"Gryah!" Marinette cried as she was frightened out of her musings when a hand cupped her shoulder.

"Er, sorry, didn't mean to frighten you." The angelic-looking boy that had come late to class said, an apologetic look on his face and his arm nervously rubbing the back of his neck as he fell into step beside her.

As his emerald eyes bored into hers, she was once again struck with a feeling of deja vu. She felt like she'd seen those eyes before, and for a fleeting second, her mind flashed back to the dream she had the night before. Had it been a premonition? Thinking of the black cat only served to make her even more nervous, so she forced herself to focus on the real person in front of her so she could fight through the embarrassment and respond. Feeling her face heat like a furnace, Marinette struggled to find words and string them together coherently, ending up with a hot mess, "No! It's fine! Fault mine! Y-you anything do didn't! Didn't anything! You d-didn't do anything! I mean, nothing wrong!"

" _Oi, what a trainwreck. He must think I'm a blabbering mess of a klutz._ " How was he able to have such an effect on her?

He laughed pleasantly, and Marinette decided right then and there that he must be an angel; no earthly being could have a laugh that heavenly, nor a face so beautiful.

"I must've startled you pretty badly; you're kind of a jumpy one, aren't you?" the boy continued, seemingly amused by her 'jumpy'-ness, "I just wanted to thank you for your help in class, and, if I could be so audacious… ask for your help again…" At this, he flashed her a sheepish grin, and Marinette cursed gravity. How dare it choose NOW of all times to claim her, when she was already weak in the knees from his blinding smiles and injured from that morning's fall?

"Are you okay?" He asked earnestly, offering a hand to help her up, eyes laced with concern. Marinette was sure steam was starting to pour from her ears. How could someone be so perfectly suave, and in the presence of someone who clearly lacked it? Marinette glared at the crutch which now lay a few feet away, punishing it for abandoning her in her time of need, before accepting his hand and replying, "I'm fine!" The moment she rose, however, she nearly fell back over as she winced involuntarily. _"Great. This is just great…"_ She seethed inwardly, cursing her luck – or lack thereof.

"Clearly you're NOT fine. Here, can you put your arm around my neck? Let's try and get you somewhere comfortable to rest."

"Oh, no, you don't have to! I'm sure you're very busy, and my friends can – " Marinette stopped mid-sentence, looking every which way. _"Where did - ? But they were here just here a moment ago…_ _Alya_ …" she sneered, piecing the facts together. She made a mental note to chew her best friend out for this little stunt later and turned her attention back to her savior, intending to ask him to take her to the nurse's office. But when she did so, she found herself quite literally face-to-face with him.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean…" He started to stammer, also a little flustered at their proximity, face beginning to tinge, "I know you don't know me; I j-just didn't want you to put any weight on your injury so I shifted you closer... I-If you're uncomfortable, I can -"

"N-no I don't mind! I'm comfortable! You're comfortable! I mean, your perfect is idea! I mean… …The nurse's office is down that hallway… If you'd be so kind…" She pointed, indicating the fallen crutch, and he scooped it up with a smile, careful to adjust her body weight so he was still supporting her during the shift in position.

"Alright, Princess, let's get you to the nurse's office." He declared with a friendly smile, making Marinette blush again. She really felt like a princess while she was being paid such attention… And he certainly fit the part of a prince… But there was no way someone as perfect as him would ever seriously consider making a girl like her his princess… _"Calm down, girl, it was just an expression…"_

They hobbled in silence for a ways, when Marinette ventured to ask, "Um, before I went and fell, you said you needed some help… What can I help with? You know, once I'm done being an invalid…"

"Oh, I've just been having a heck of time trying to find all my classes, and was hoping you could point me in the right direction for my next one, especially since I was running late after staying after our class to get the professor to sign some forms for me… but it doesn't matter now…"

"Why…?" She questioned, then immediately answered her own question. " _Oh. Because of me… He's missing class because of me..."  
_ "I'm sorry…" She whispered, feeling her cheeks color in shame. _"Way to go, Marinette, you managed to make him miss a class with your killer moves, and after he was all nice to you and everything…"_

"Nah, don't worry about it! What are friends for?" He declared with a bright smile that threatened to make her weak in the knees again. But just as suddenly, it was gone, uncertainty overtaking his features instead. "I'm sorry, that was presumptuous of me… I… I've never really had friends before, so this is all new to me… I hope, if you let me, we could be friends…"

" _Bless his precious baby heart…"_ Marinette couldn't believe what she was hearing. Someone that beautiful and kind would surely be surrounded by friends. She responded with probably more enthusiasm than was acceptable, "I-I'll totally be friendly! Your friend! Definitely! Th-that is, if you're okay with b-being mine…"

He was laughing again, his mirth infectious, and if she had completely thrown caution to the wind, she'd be tempted to kiss that perfect, sweet face. She could tell that his soul was just as beautiful, as his kind, sacrificing actions had just displayed, and she couldn't believe her luck that he wanted to be her friend.

" _It's almost like this is_ too _lucky…_ too _perfect… Like maybe, this is all a dream… an escape from the brutal reality…_ " The thought rattled her to the core, and a chill ran up her spine. She had been so insistent that her nightly afflictions were nightmares… " _But… what if it's the other way around?"_

"I'm Adrien, by the way." The blond declared, bringing her out of her thoughts and back to reality… or least, she _hoped_ it was reality…

"Marinette." Was all she managed to say, still shaken by the new possibility she'd just entertained. " _Please let this be a dream come true… and not just a dream…"_

* * *

Adrien dropped his messenger bag as soon as he entered his room, heaving a satisfied sigh. Today had been one of the best days of his life. His life-long dream of making a friend had just come true. Not only that, but his father seemed to finally be taking his opinions seriously. It was a few weeks into the semester, so he'd have to play catch up, but better late than never. He was still reeling from this morning's information that his father had finally given him permission to attend college. With the subsequently wonderful first day he had there, he was beginning to think that it was all too good to be true.

"I should at least thank him…" He mused to himself, thinking if he had a conversation expressing his gratitude, he'd be able to not only encourage further positive results from his dad, he'd also be able to reassure himself that this wasn't all just a dream, leaving him to wake and find out that his dad was still forcing him to focus solely on his modeling career, clothed in isolation.

Making his way to his father's office, he was surprised to find the door standing slightly ajar, and Nathalie absent from her post at the desk in front. The sounds of a conversation outpoured from the opening, and he couldn't help but overhear the two talking…

"What do you mean, additional fees?" The cross voice of his father inquired.

"Since the semester's already started, the only on-campus housing that's available are the high-end private dorms, and the late fee as well…" Nathalie answered, cool and placid as always.

"Fine. Just do whatever it takes to get him out of this house and occupied." Gabriel instructed coldly, and Adrien doubled over, feeling like his heart had been struck with an arrow made of ice.

"Yes sir." Nathalie affirmed, "I can have movers here within the next few hours if necessary. Would that suit your schedule or would you prefer I have them wait to pack up his things until you're at work tomorrow?"

"No, the sooner the better. I want him out of sight and out of mind. I have _very_ pressing matters to focus on and the sooner distractions are removed, the better, even if some temporary distractions must be tolerated as the price."

Adrien, who'd been too stunned to move, finally found himself able to command his legs again, so he willed himself to flee, running faster than he ever had before, wanting nothing more than to seek solace in the solitude of his room, where he could numb the pain the way he always had. Waiting in his room was a library of books and DVDs, filled with thrilling tales he could launch himself into, escaping the cruel reality that was his life. If he was lucky, maybe the latest episode of "My Hero Academia" would be available online…

Who had he been fooling? This day, a dream come true? He should've known better… It was all that dream's fault… Where he had become a hero and was free of his father's influence… It had gotten him wishfully thinking that this turn of events was his father finally starting to be just that… a _father_ , and not a manager, an owner, or whatever else he seemed to think he was instead where it concerned Adrien… where it concerned 'distractions'.

" _If only this could be the nightmare… I don't want Chat Noir to be just a dream…_ "

* * *

 _Are we fated to fall in love with the other's nightmare?_

* * *

 **Closing Remarks**

I hope you all enjoyed this first chapter! I had so much fun writing it!

I originally planned on Ladybug using the name of an actual French chain store in this chapter, but decided that the dialog was in need of a more comedic name, rather than 'Auchan'. Hence the brand 'Thrift-O-Mart' was born! Also, I read somewhere that thrift stores in France are called 'antique' stores, but again, for comedy value, 'Antique-O-Mart' just didn't sound as humorous as 'Thrift-O-Mart'... The price of humor, I tell ya...

"My Hero Academia" is an actual superhero anime that's currently running, and according to Thomas Astruc's twitter account, Adrien loves anime, hence the mention here.

I toyed with the idea of calling this chapter "Bugaboo Begins" because it'd be my hats-off to the Christopher Nolan Batman Begins movie, and I'm total goofball who likes alliterations... But though I do plan on having a good deal of comic relief and silliness in this fic, I didn't want to not be taken seriously at all...

Now that I've gotten this first chapter out of my system, it's my goal to focus on "Double Date" next, and perhaps alternate between these two fics... Though I'm tempted to hold off on this fic until season 2 comes out so I can work elements of it into the plot for Sleepless. (I still have enough season 1 inspired material to keep this going for awhile... it's just that it'd be nice to include some foreshadowing for overarching plotlines... but I also don't want any spoilers in here for people wanting to go into season 2 spoiler free...)

 **Tumblr**  
As always, you can check out my tumble accound for updates, sneak peeks, Q&A, and general fangirling. It's zepuka DOT tumblr DOT com


	2. Trials

**Opening Remarks**

Really sorry this chapter was so long in coming! Things got pretty crazy for both me and my beta, but I wanted to be sure to give it the proper amount of care and attention so it could be the best possible chapter for you all. Thank you to anyone who had been waiting on this chapter for your patience, I hope it will not disappoint!

As always, a HUGE 'Thank you!' to my wonderful beta-reader, Tuvstarr, without whom this chapter would have been riddled with errors, awkward phrasing, and confusion! Please check out her work sometime!

Edit: Seems there was some concurrent editing between me and my beta right before I posted this chapter and I didn't realize! So sorry, even after the wait, this chapter still had some errors. I did another pass-through to hopefully catch all the errors that resulted from concurrent editing. In the future, I'll be sure to edit a local copy instead of one in a shared folder.

* * *

Adrien blindly fumbled about for his glasses as he slowly awoke, willing the heavy veil of slumber to lift so he could face the day. It wasn't a prospect he was looking forward to, due to the unpleasant conversation he had overheard between his father and Nathalie the night before.

He had stayed up entirely too late trying to forget his troubles, watching anime and reading, and he knew that even if he had fallen asleep the moment he had turned off the lights, he'd only have gotten a couple hours of sleep. He really needed to stop trying to distract himself at the cost of his slumber; it never made his problems go away; it only forced him to face them fatigued, which only made matters worse. Regardless of how he tried to avoid it, he imagined the next few days would be busy getting settled in at school. Since he was starting late, he'd have a lot of catching up to do in assignments on top of moving across town to live on campus. Adrien silently cursed to himself as he continued to reach for his spectacles, anger mounting. This should've happened weeks ago before classes started... This should've been his chance to find his independence and maybe even start some friendships... Goodness knows he had begged endlessly for the opportunity, but for it to be forced upon him so suddenly and because he was a 'nuisance', rather than because it was what he wanted and had sincerely asked his father for...

His brow twisted in confusion as he continued to feel around for his glasses, unsuccessfully. Not only could he not seem to reach them, but something felt… off. He was well-familiarized with the polished finish of his nightstand, but the wooden surface his hand was brushing against was rough and unfinished… In fact, his bed in its entirety felt like it was made of the same wood… Where was his usual bedroom furniture? What happened last night?

He was about to open his eyes to assess the situation when a voice, not his own, sounded in his head: _"Mornin', kid. How'd you sleep?"_

Bolting upright as his eyes flew open to try and discover whoever had just whispered in his ear, Adrien thanked his lucky stars that it was still rather dark out so his eyes could quickly adjust. He whirled about, fighting the dizziness that ensued, hoping he looked imposing for the sake of whoever was threatening him. There was no one in sight.

"Wh-who said that?" He demanded, continuing to turn this way and that, scanning for a face, but only being met with the landscape of the park. Apparently, he'd spent the night on a park bench nestled under a willow tree, nicely concealed from any prying eyes who may be passing by on the nearby trails. Adrien was convinced that the whisperer must lie beyond the willow branches that hemmed him in, though strain as he might, he couldn't see anyone. He noted that, while not so important at the moment, he was able to see his surroundings clearly, despite the fact that he didn't have his glasses. In fact, he was quite certain he'd never seen this sharply before even when he donned brand new prescription lenses.

Shaking his head to refocus his objectives, Adrien strained his eyes a little more to try and see farther into the horizon so he could locate the source of the voice.

" _So you've forgotten me already? And here I thought we had somethin' special."_ The voice rang out again, and this time, Adrien couldn't deny, for he was fully awake by now, that it had originated in his own head.

Something was beginning to stir in the back of Adrien's mind… a memory of a nearly forgotten dream… a man called 'Plagg' and a promise of greatness in return for…

" _Ah, I see you DO remember me. Right then, just keep in mind that I'm not a human 'man', and neither are you anymore, technically. I'm a cat-demon and you're my host, and it's about time you got to looking for something for us to eat. You've been asleep for hours!"_

Adrien clutched his head as a flood of memories from the night before filled his mind, pushing aside the recollections of the dream he just had until they were only faint wisps. It felt like he had crammed for a test, but then immediately started studying for a different test, and since his brain didn't have the capacity, all the information he'd gathered for the first test was being thrown out.

That's right… He was a superhero now, called 'Chat Noir'. He had two weeks to prove himself to Ladybug, and he also had to find a more permanent dwelling for himself now that he was no longer 'Adrien Agreste', and no longer under his father's influence… no longer subject to torments like being shipped off to college so his father wouldn't be troubled just by the look of him. He reasoned that the dream must've been his subconscious experiencing a bit of buyer's remorse and coping with it by drawing up a picture of what might've happened if he hadn't agreed to his deal with Plagg.

Spirits lifting as he recalled his promising prospects, Adrien - nay, Chat – began to yawn and stretch his limbs, for they were feeling just a touch achy from their night on the bench. "Say, what time is it, Plagg?" Adrien ventured, hoping the knowledge would help him feel a little less disoriented.

" _Seems you don't remember that you don't have to talk out loud for me to hear you, kid. I'd prefer it if we kept things on the private line; cats are supposed to be stealthy, you know?"_ Plagg chastised before replying: " _And for your information, it's around seven at night."_

" _What!?"_ Chat exclaimed, only barely managing to keep his squeal internal, " _I slept all day!? And how can it be so light out for so late? The sun should nearly be set by now!"_

" _Weren't you paying attention at all yesterday? Sheesh, I don't like repeating myself, you know, so listen up this time! Hosting a demon grants the host certain physical benefits, such as improving their body's existing functions – this is why you don't need your glasses anymore, by the way, as you were noticing a little while ago – and beyond that, the type of demon who inhabits the body determines what types of powers they'll have. Being a cat-demon, my hosts benefit from night vision and increased nocturnal stamina, however they also tend to be quite tired during the daytime as a result, but given our line of work, being nocturnal suits us just fine."_

" _Whoah… awesome! Hey, what else can cat-demon hosts do?"_

" _Okay, I get that you're excited, kid, but can we get some food first, or-?"_

" _Aw come, on, please? Just show me one trick!"_

"… _They're not 'tricks', you sod."_ Plagg dead-panned grumpily, seemingly offended. With a sigh, he continued, _"They're 'powers'. I can see now we're going to need to start out slow, so why don't you try leaping for me, hm?"_

" _Like this?"_ Chat asked, but was already coiled and pouncing before Plagg could respond. He found himself rocketing skyward through the boughs of the willow tree and had to flail about to grab a branch to stop himself from falling rather ungracefully on the way back down. "Holy sh-!" He exclaimed aloud, unable to contain his excitement, but was cut short from finishing by an indignant snort from Plagg.

" _Language!"_ the cat-demon chided.

" _Oh, sorry… didn't realize you'd be offended."_

" _Yeah well, what I find possibly more offensive is that you're STILL not working on getting us some eats! Come on, now, we've got a long night ahead of us and I need carbs! Preferably cheese... if you can find any."_

" _Er… I can't have cheese, I'm dairy intolerant."_

"… _You're joking."_

"' _Fraid not."_

"… _You've got to be bloody kidding me,"_ the demon cursed vehemently. _"Stuck in a contract with a body that can't eat cheese!?"_

Not missing a chance to catch him in hypocrisy, Chat tutted and scolded, _"Language!"_

" _What? It's not like you're English… Are you English?"_

" _No, I'm French."_

" _So 'Sacre Dieu' is out then, is it?"_

" _I thought you were hungry,"_ Chat teased playfully, dodging the question.

" _Yeah but… no cheese? You can't be serious. Ugh, just my luck…"_

" _Well I mean, I suppose we could give it a try and see if your demon powers healed my digestive system like they healed my eyes?"_

" _Demons and hosts have a symbiotic relationship where they each benefit from each other's strengths, so where one has a weakness, it can be fixed by the other's aptitude. Cat demons have great eyesight, so your own poor eyesight has been remedied by my own exemplary eyesight. Cat demons are lactose intolerant, so I usually benefit from my human host's ability to eat cheese... but if both demon and host share a weakness..."_ Plagg explained. With a defeated sigh, he asked, _"So… there's no chance you've just been joking this whole time? None at all?"_

" _Sorry, Plagg, I've been dairy intolerant since I was a baby. I don't even know what cheese tastes like."_

"… _Let's go get some cheese."_

" _What!? You said I'd still have my digestive problems!"_

" _You've gotta try cheese at least once if you're gonna claim that you've ever lived at all, and I haven't had a taste of the stuff in decades, so to hell with it, I say!"_

Adrien gasped at that, convinced now that Plagg was indeed a two-face. " _Hey! How come you get to say H-E-double-hockey-sticks, but I'm not allowed to say 'holy sh-'"_

" _Shhhhhhhh! I told you not to say that word! It's vile!"_

" _What? And 'hell' isn't?"_

" _Oi! What gives you the right to criticize my hometown? Now can we just get on with it and get some food already?! I'm famished!"_

Disgruntled at Plagg's hypocrisy, Chat dismounted from the tree only because he, too, was beginning to feel the pangs of hunger.

* * *

A sugary burst of artificial fruit-punch-flavor graced his tongue as he christened the newly opened lollipop, taking a moment to savor it before swiveling in his chair to face the computer screen once more. He cracked his knuckles and tapped out a few lines of code before backspacing furiously, sucking on the lollipop in frustration. He'd been at this problem for over twelve hours now, and like his lollipop, his efforts so far had proven fruitless.

Taking his anxious energy out on his chair as he twirled it about, he hoped the centrifugal force would somehow jog his brain into conjuring the perfect solution. Ladybug was counting on him after all, and he hadn't yet failed her… and he certainly wasn't planning to break that streak just yet. Forcing his brown eyes, dry with fatigue, to refocus on the screen, the aspiring hacker typed out a new command, a rather messy one, he had to admit, and one that was a long shot, but he'd try anything at this point. If only he could make sense of the data on that partition of the hard drive… He would've cracked this hours ago had it been formatted in a way he was used to seeing, but although the main partition had been formatted in ExFAT, this partition seemed to use some sort of proprietary format so the data streams he'd managed to get off of it were completely senseless. If he could just find and analyze a few patterns, maybe he could piece together how the file system worked so he could at least isolate the files from the metadata…

"Find anything?"

The question startled him out of his thoughts, nearly causing him to choke on his lollipop, and he whirled around to face the femme fatale, Ladybug herself.

"Uh, unfortunately not, Madam Ladybug. My apologies."

Even though her hood hid most of her face, he could still see the disappointed pout that tugged at her perfect mouth, contradicting her next words, "That's alright. I knew it was a long shot anyway… I, uh… kinda did a number on it before I got it to you."

Hastening to comfort her as best he could, he tugged the pencil from behind his tanned ear and scribbled on a scrap of nearby paper. Handing it to the crimson vigilante with a flick of his wrist, he explained, "I'll continue to work on the hard drive, but worry not! You may have pulverized that laptop, but I was still able to get the serial number off its ID tag, and I just so happen to know a guy who may be able to help track down whoever purchased it."

It pleased him immensely to see her features light up at his breakthrough, and he was tempted to trace every line of her face with his eyes, committing their pattern to memory, but her voice brought him back to reality as she thanked him for his efforts, clearly about to leave him to his work.

Desperate to have even just an extra moment with her, he blurted the first thing he could think of, "Ladybug! I… H-have dinner with me?"

The surprised look on her face brought a flushed tinge to his cheeks, and he nervously checked that his man-bun was still tidy, though he knew it was a little too late to be worried about appearances. Resolved to push forward, he rushed to explain himself, "I-I mean… I just haven't eaten since yesterday's dinner, and I know you don't get the payment you deserve for protecting this city, so… why don't you allow me to thank you for your service to this city in a practical way that'll help us both?"

Eyes softening at this, Ladybug hazarded a small smile and replied, "You know, I'm actually quite hungry, and I'm touched by your gesture of thankfulness… But you already help me so much; I wouldn't be nearly as successful as I am without your support… I should be the one thanking you.

His heart skipped a beat at that. How was it possible for her to be so selfless, so kind, so… perfect? Trying for his best, debonair smile, he stood from his seat, coaxing her, "Nonsense, and besides… I'm loaded." Daring to be so bold as to wink at the girl, he chucked his half-eaten lollipop in a nearby waste bin as suavely as possible before grabbing his coat and offering her his arm. "So it's my treat."

Tentatively taking a step back, no doubt resolving not to take advantage of his kindness, Ladybug opened her mouth to speak, but a grumble gave the state of her stomach away. With a laugh, he added, "I insist. And so does your stomach. How does Italian sound?"

Heaving a sigh of defeat, Ladybug reluctantly accepted his arm as a shimmering light traveled from her head to her toes, replacing her vigilante attire with a suitable plain-clothes piece that complimented his simple shirt and trousers. "Very well, it seems I'm outnumbered. Lead the way, Theo!"

* * *

" _Are you sure about this, Plagg?"_ Chat inquired mentally, peering out from behind a garbage dumpster that shielded him from view. Plagg had dropped 'stealth mode' and left Chat clothed in black skinny jeans and a half-buttoned, vivid-green business shirt that was cuffed at the elbows. The lack of a mask or hood left him feeling exposed… as did the tightness of his jeans.

" _Of course. You can't walk around in public looking like a thief; that's no way to earn food."_ Plagg replied matter-of-factly.

" _But isn't taking food without paying for it essentially thieving?"_ Chat argued, twisting uncomfortably as he tried to situate his pants to prevent them from riding up.

Ignoring Chat's retort, Plagg continued, " _Besides, you look dashing, thanks to me. You should be flattered I picked you, by the way. I only pick hosts who can represent my particular brand of style."_

"… _Couldn't that style be a bit more… relaxed?"_

" _It's business casual. Any more relaxed and you'd be wearin' jammies,"_ the demon dismissed, and a green light shown briefly as he added an obsidian ring inset with an emerald for good measure.

"… _Or at least you could use some other colors besides black and green. Once people start seeing me with Ladybug, they might start putting two and two together when they see me in public wearing Chat Noir's signature colors and having the same features, don't you think?"_

" _Psh, don't underestimate the power of a demon's magic, kid. Your own mother wouldn't be able to recognize you, let alone the random people you'll encounter in civvies. Now look there! That crumpet is handing out some samples. Now's the time to use that feline prowess I gave you to earn us some grub!"_ Plagg exclaimed, and Chat could already feel his stomach urging him to follow the demon's advice and ask the 'crumpet' for an extra serving of the samples she was handing out to promote a Mexican restaurant.

" _What, you want me to beg like a dog,"_ the teen asked, disgusted. As hungry as he was, he still had some dignity.

" _What? No. Don't insult me. Dogs beg, but cats… we… persuade."_

" _Ooooh I get it. Cats purr, so PURR-suade. Got it."_

" _No! That's not what I-! Cheese-its, Chat, can't you just be serious for once and focus?!"_

" _Not when you think 'Cheese-its' is a suitable exclamation. Holy cow, I thought MY vocabulary was cheesy…"_

" _Oi! What did we say about the cursing!?"_

" _What, you're offended by cows now?"_ Chat prodded, exasperated, before remembering that Plagg was thousands of years old and had been all over the world with various hosts. With a sincere gasp, he dropped to his knees in anguish and followed up with: " _Oh snap! Were you Hindu in a previous life? I am SO sorry, Plagg!"_

"… _I'm just going to pretend you didn't just make a spectacle of yourself, because unfortunately, my dignity is tied to yours,"_ came Plagg's embittered response, and Chat could imagine the demon massaging his brow in a 'Just what am I going to do with this one?' fashion. _"Look, just… just walk over to the girl and let me do the rest… savvy?"_

"… _So long as you don't talk like a pirate."_

" _As_ _long as you quit using that cursed 'H' word."_

Not knowing what Plagg was talking about, as Chat had never used the 'H-E-double-hockey-sticks' word, but Plagg had himself, he was nonetheless quick to agree to be done with the argument. The feeling that followed wasn't all that pleasant, however. As he allowed the demon to take full control of his body, Chat felt like he was having some sort of out-of-body experience, and to his surprise, he was finding it difficult to keep conscious, the corners of his vision beginning to black. Panicking, he tried to will his eyes to open wide and his wakefulness to stay. In a moment, he found himself back in control of his body, but because it had been so sudden and he had apparently been in mid-step, he also found himself tumbling head-first to the ground… Right in front of the girl he was supposed to be 'PURR-suading'.

* * *

" _You should flirt with that guy more often, LB; he knows how to treat a girl!"_ Tikki hummed contentedly, no doubt savoring the vestigial taste of chocolate chip cookies Theo had insisted they try after their meal together.

" _You may have convinced me to agree to go this time, but don't get too used to it. As you said, I get that flirtatious vibe from him and I don't want to give him false hopes just to take advantage of his money and kindnesss_ _,_ _"_ Ladybug argued back.

" _ARE they false hopes though?"_ Tikki cooed, _"Don't forget we share a mind… you and I both find him tall, dark, AND handsome."_

" _Looks aren't everything, Tikki. Besides, this whole contract I have with you… I assumed romantic commitments wouldn't be an option."_

" _Who says it has to be a commitment? Just because you're a vigilante doesn't mean you shouldn't have some fun every now and then,"_ Tikki argued playfully.

With a slight chuckle, Ladybug reasoned, _"But what happens if I want to have a little fun with someone you find repulsive? You're stuck in here, so that might not be the most pleasant experience for you."_

" _You'd have a hard time achieving that; I already know your tastes and they're aligned fairly well with mine."_

" _Well you know… that Chat Noir is a pretty good-looking specimen,"_ Ladybug suggested slyly, knowing it'd strike a nerve. There was something in Tikki's tone when she was talking about Plagg that made it apparent she would find any host he used revolting. She had to remind herself that she was still in public when Tikki groaned in agony, confirming her theory. Passers-by would no doubt think her strange if she suddenly broke down in peals of laughter over her inaudible triumph.

" _Well speak of the demon,_ " Tikki exclaimed. _"Ugh, why do Plagg and host have to show up NOW of all times? Quick, let's get out of here; I only just sensed his presence, we may be able to go before he senses ours!"_

She had been planning to follow Tikki's advice; really, she had… so why did she find herself standing still, mesmerized by the sight before her? Cat Noir, though now in plain clothes, was nonetheless instantly recognizable, probably due to the effects of Tikki's demon cognition; yet something seemed oddly familiar about him, and Ladybug couldn't shake the overwhelming sense of déjà vu. _'Of course… you saw him yesterday…'_ she mused to herself, though deep down she knew it was something else… something she couldn't quite pinpoint.

She was shaken from her thoughts when the reality of the scene became apparent; Chat Noir was shamelessly flirting with what appeared to be the female employee of an upscale restaurant, and he seemed to be quite the natural… He cast coy, sideways glances, charming and relaxed laughter, a flirtatious twinkle in his eye, and a suave, graceful swing to his body movements as he animatedly engaged the giggling waitress, even going so far as to take her hand and place a chaste kiss upon it. _'So, it's a signature move,'_ Ladybug brooded, chiding herself for a brief moment of jealousy and instead cheering herself with the thought that she'd have the upper hand, knowing about his Casanova countenance upfront. If he had been planning to slide his way into a partnership with smooth talk and flirtation, he was about to be in for a rude awakening. She had never been one to accept shortcuts to begin with, but now that she had a weapon to use against him, it would be easier to test him for his true merit and mettle.

" _Oh no..."_ Tikki lamented, " _You were serious!? I thought you were only teasing me on account of Plagg, but you totally have a thing for Chat Noir!"_

" _What!? No! Quit jumping to conclusions, Tikki!"_

" _How can it be jumping to conclusions when I can read your flippin' mind!? Ugh, noooooo ANYONE but Plagg's host! Quick! Remember how yummy Theo looked flashing you those pearly whites of his with a winning smile?"_

" _Tikki... Just because you can read the data in my mind doesn't mean you interpret it correctly. Sure, I find him handsome, and I think he has potential to be a good ally, but my heart has no desire to get entangled with ANYONE who knows I'm Ladybug. If I were to see somebody, I'd want to be able to get away from all this when I'm with them and just be me."_

* * *

Happily munching on the nachos and guac' (Plagg had been ever so disappointed they couldn't get cheese with said nachos, but Chat was determined to show the demon the wonders of guacamole) he had just acquired from the friendly waitress, Chat strode off in the first direction that seemed suitable to him, but Plagg cut in: " _Oi, lover-boy. I sense your precious Ladybug heading the opposite direction. Care to pop over for a quick rendezvous?"_

Chat nearly choked on his half-eaten tortilla chip, hastening to finish it so he wouldn't look like a chipmunk with food packed in his cheeks when he greeted his idol. " _How long have you sensed her presence,"_ he inquired curiously.

" _Oh, she's been watching us nearly the entire time."_

Had he not previously swallowed, Chat was convinced he'd have needed a Heimlich to clear his airways of half-eaten chips. " _WHAT!? She saw the whole 'PURR-suading' maneuver!? Holy guacamole, Plagg, why didn't you tell me sooner!? That means she saw me flirting with that girl… Gah, I could die of embarrassment."_

" _Oh, cut the drama, will you? And what have we discussed about you and the cursing, hm?"_

" _What, you're offended by avocados now?"_

" _After you tried to pass them off as a substitute for cheese, yeah, but that's beside the point. It's the -"_

" _Which way did she go, Plagg? I can't see her!"_

" _Well you'd have a hard time recognizing her; there's powerful demon magic that shields their hosts from being recognized as their true selves or as a demon wielder, except by other demons. You'll need a little training, but with time, you'll be able to tap into my powers so you can recognize other demons' auras for yourself."_

" _Wait, isn't that her right there?"_ Adrien asked, pointing at the pigtailed woman who was strolling by herself, head held high. He'd recognize that confident air and bluebell eyes anywhere.

"… _Huh. Guess you tapped into it sooner than I thought you would."_

" _No, it's not that, it's… I… I think I've seen her before."_ A twinge of pain in his forehead made Adrien twitch, but his eyes never strayed from the girl he was pursuing.

" _Well of course, you just saw her last night…"_

" _No, I mean… besides that… I think…"_

" _What, did you forget that you were already a fan of the Ladybug before I recruited you? Of course you've seen her, in her demon wielding form, before. I'll admit it's impressive that you picked her out in her veiled civilian form though… Either Tikki's losing her touch or I'm just that good a teacher."_

" _I… I can't explain it, and I can't even put my finger on it myself… but I'm sure I've seen her before… in 'civilian form'… only every time I get close to the answer, it vanishes."_

" _Ahhh I understand now. You must have met her before she became the Ladybug. That feeling you're describing is Tikki's demon magic at work. The contract is interfering with your recollections of seeing her before. Normally you wouldn't even remember getting close to recalling by the time Tikki's through with you, but with my powers now counteracting it, you can at least remember a little."_

Although Plagg's explanation made sense, there was an inkling of disagreement that left him feeling unsettled. However, the more he tried to think of how else it could be explained, the worse his headache got, until he was forced to drop the notion altogether.

" _Hey kid! You're losing her!"_ Plagg cried, forcing Chat to drop his line of thought to focus on the task at hand. Breaking into a sprint, Chat tried to catch up, but began to despair that if he didn't call out to her, he wouldn't reach her before she disappeared into the crowd. The only problem was that he didn't know what to call out. 'Ladybug' certainly wouldn't do, as it'd just draw unwanted attention from bystanders, and would no doubt count against him, and that would be a terrible way to start his two-week probation.

An idea hitting him, Chat cried out, "M'lady! Wait up!" and to his great delight, she halted in front of the shoe-store she had been passing, and turned to face him. When he finally reached her, she had a deliciously coy smile on her lips as she chastised, "I thought I told you that you don't get to call me that unless you successfully complete your trial."

"My apologies," Chat crooned, bowing in an exaggerated fashion, "but what else would you suggest I call such a beautiful lady?"

"So you cat-call all the attractive ladies with the term, 'M'lady', then? How unoriginal."

Chat grimaced, recalling that he had the misfortune of Ladybug catching him in the act of begging for food using Plagg's method of 'PURR-suasion'. "You may not be ready to believe me yet, but you're the only one I deem worthy of being called 'M'lady'. I hope I am able to prove myself not only in my combat abilities, but in my trustworthiness during the next couple of weeks."

Her playful smile taking on a hint of sadness, Ladybug advised, "Rule number one of being a hero: trust no one but yourself and your demon."

His smile faltering at her words, Chat commented thoughtfully, "But if you only rely on yourself, you're sure to fail, ultimately. Even villains team up sometimes even though they know each other to be the least trustworthy... You know, 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' mentality."

"An Arabic proverb attributed to a prince who was betrayed and decapitated by his own subjects," Ladybug said, straight-faced.

At this, Chat's eyes grew wide as saucers. "M'lady," he asked breathily in awe, "Are you... a fan of Star Trek?"

When her cheeks reddened and betrayed her answer, Chat broke into a wide, Cheshire-cat grin, explaining, "You know they only made that up for the movie... It's not even an Arab saying, and there's no historic proof of any princes or decapitations involved."

Refusing to meet his eyes, Ladybug mumbled, "I was hoping you wouldn't know any of that... You didn't strike me as the type to like Star Trek."

Suavely leaning against the store's window, Chat cocked an eyebrow and inquired, "And what type do I strike you as?"

"Is this the part where the woman you're trying to woo says 'my type'?"

"Well I certainly wouldn't mind if that was your answer..." Chat admitted sheepishly, his confidence faltering as he awkwardly tried to look less flirtatious while still putting his all into letting know Ladybug know he was interested. How was he supposed to balance showing his interest with righting the misconception that he was just a flirtatious, indiscriminate individual?

A hint of laughter escaping her mouth, Ladybug moved to leave, excusing herself with claims of work she needed to get back to. When he offered to help, she refused him, stating she knew how difficult the first few days of possession were, even going so far as to give him a few tips on how to find a good place to rest for the night until he managed to find a suitable income.

As she left, Chat sighed to himself, wondering how he was going to manage to pull this all off. Ladybug made it look so easy, always composed and sure of herself... but here he was, not even knowing where he was going to sleep tonight, let alone how he was going to convince Ladybug to keep him on as a partner.

* * *

Chat didn't relish the idea of sleeping on another park bench, so instead he found a suitably deserted building to take shelter in for the remainder of the night, gathering what discarded items he could find to make his slumber a little more comfortable. As he settled in for bed, he chatted with Plagg at length on how they might find better, more permanent accommodations in the future, how they might go about earning their food consistently, and to Plagg's chagrin, how 'practically perfect in every way' Ladybug was.

" _You don't even know anything ABOUT the girl!_ " Plagg cried in exasperation, hoping to dissuade the boy from further ramblings.

" _I know that she's just and selfless,"_ the smitten teen countered, _"not to mention brave, resourceful, and intelligent."_

" _You've barely spent five minutes with her."_

" _Which means I've only just begun to scratch the surface of her character. I'm telling you, Plagg, I know a good person when I see one, and I've made up mind; whoever she is underneath… I'll love her."_

" _You are one hopeless sap. Has anyone ever told you that?"_ Though Plagg voiced his complaint in a sickened tone, there was a certain softness to it that didn't go unnoticed by Chat. As Adrien, he'd been met with his fair share of criticisms, and he had learned how to instantly pinpoint a genuine insult, a constructive criticism, a half-hearted jab, and a veiled compliment. It was usually the former lot, growing up as Adrien Agreste. Every day had been full of rants of his short-comings and bullet-points on how he could improve himself. Yet these past couple nights, Plagg and Ladybug had issued plenty of criticisms, but for the most part, it was all playful banter. Maybe this was what having friends felt like…

With a smile on his face, Chat slipped into contented slumber.

* * *

Chat sat bolt upright when he heard a rap on the door. Someone had discovered his hideout! Leaping to his feet, he immediately stumbled, unable to find his bearings. It was especially difficult when everything was so blurry. He feverishly wiped at his eyes to get any bits of sand and gunk out of them, but his vision remained unimproved. Confused, he called out to Plagg in panic, _"Plagg! What happened? Why can't I see again?"_

The silence was terrifying and Chat thought for one horrifying moment that Plagg had broken their contract and left him on his own, until –

"Adrien? Are you up?" A feminine voice – _'That sounded like Nathalie...'_ – called through the door, "I know it's early but you'll need to pack up some essentials; you'll need to stay overnight at the school's dorms tonight. I've arranged for a moving company to box the rest of your things up today and have them delivered later today. You won't want to go rummaging through countless boxes in order to find your essentials."

What was going on? Chat blinked furiously, trying to clear his vision and hoping that doing so would also clear up his confusion and disorientation. Maybe he was dreaming? On a whim, he reached for what looked like the fuzzy outline of his old bedside table and fumbled about until his fingers felt the familiar cold metal of his spectacles. Hurriedly he put them on and instantly his old bedroom came into perfect, crystal-clear view. Every detail was just as he'd left it – the clothes he'd worn yesterday at the top of the laundry hamper, the book he'd been reading late into the night laying open and upside-down on the floor to mark where he'd left off because he'd forgotten to grab a bookmark before crawling into bed… Even his computer monitor still had the page for the latest episode of 'My Hero Academia' pulled up, and he could easily recall the events of the episode that he'd watched the night before. By contrast, the events he had been so sure of when he woke up, of seeing Ladybug again, bonding with Plagg, and adjusting to his new life as Chat Noir, were slipping through his fingers like sand through an hourglass.

He was beginning to think he needed therapy. There had to be some psychiatric explanation for why his mind had started conjuring up, in eerily persuasive detail, a dream world where he was a superhero with no more ties to his life as Adrien Agreste. He probably shouldn't have watched that episode of 'My Hero Academia' so late last night; maybe that whole hero concept wouldn't have leaked into his dreams... Perhaps last night's dream was also a subconscious rebellion due to the conversation he'd overheard between his father and Nathalie before he slept. Naturally, hearing the shocking news that your father was discarding you once and for all would provide the golden opportunity for your brain to cook up a scenario where Adrien was the one who discarded his father instead.

"…Adrien?" Nathalie called again hesitantly, having yet to hear any confirmation from within.

Snapping out of his bewildered thoughts and frantic reasonings, Adrien replied, "Uh, yeah! I'm up! Just… Can you have the chef pack me some food? I don't think I'll have time to do any grocery shopping with all the assignments I'll be catching up on."

"Certainly. Please be ready within the hour."

* * *

'The Gorilla', as Adrien dubbed him, dropped the newly-relocated collegiate off in front of an impressive-looking 'private' dorm house. In actuality, he'd still be sharing the house with three other people, but it was divided in such a way that each occupant would have their own living quarters; only the recreational areas were shared. Adrien was already marveling at the outdoor facilities, which included a patio, decked out (pun intended) with various furniture and a grill, and there was even a multi-purpose court between this unit and the next one over. Rumor had it that each unit had its own game-room for the four occupants to enjoy, equipped with billiard, ping pong, foosball, and air hockey tables, and even a projector and accompanying screen for movies and video games. At least, that was Nathalie's spiel about the place as she explained his new living situation over breakfast. It had probably been her way of attempting to help him transition smoothly, despite the fact he had been kicked out of the house practically overnight. She had done a superb job of making it sound like he'd enjoy himself there, like he'd never even notice that he'd effectively been banished from his family home.

Unable to delay the inevitable any further, Adrien exited the vehicle and made his way towards his new 'home', taking note of the shiny brass lettering on the door that read '221.' Not that it mattered… It wasn't like he'd receive any letters or care packages from home, no matter how much he may wish for one. Entering through the double doors into a main hallway that contained the entrances to each living area and the common room, he consulted the hand-written note Nathalie had given him that morning to determine which door to enter. "Apartment B," he muttered aloud, locating the door bearing the brass letter 'B' and pushing it open.

He was greeted by a fully-furnished living room that gave way to a sizeable kitchen he doubted he'd ever utilize properly, and noticed a staircase off to the side that probably lead to the bedroom and bathroom. Why any college student would need their own living room and kitchen was beyond him, but he had to admit that it was impressive-looking, and that ironically, it felt homier than his own room back at the Agreste manor.

"So, you're the new guy, eh?" A gruff voice asked from behind him, prompting Adrien to pivot in order to face the newcomer on his doorstep. The stranger was imposingly tall, towering over Adrien with at least a good nine inches on him, and he had the broad shoulders and muscular build to go with it. He hated to stereotype, but here stood a jock if ever Adrien had seen one. Swallowing his apprehension over the intimidating presence, Adrien drew himself up to his full, albeit currently insufficient height, and tried to introduce himself using as manly a voice as he could muster, "Uh, yeah… I'm Adrien." Extending his hand in what he hoped was a friendly gesture, Adrien inquired, "What's your name?"

"The name's Kim," the jock affirmed, and Adrien fought the urge to audibly sigh in relief when his proffered hand was accepted and given a firm yet friendly handshake. His relief was shortly lived, however, when his new neighbor called out, "Eight PM, the game room. Be there or never show your face there again. You pick the game, I win it and remain the reigning champion, and the loser has to buy the winner a week's worth of caffeine," before returning to unit A and closing the door, leaving no room for argument.

* * *

Adrien spent the day in a daze, only barely listening to his professors' lectures. He was too preoccupied on how he should handle Kim's dare. He certainly didn't want to be on the guy's bad side, and not just because he happened to be twice the size of himself. His whole motivation for coming to college had been to make friends his own age, so despite the unhappy manner in which he found himself here, he still hoped he could make his original agenda a reality. But how should one respond to a challenge like Kim's? Living such a sheltered life had forced him to learn of social behaviors from various media, but something told him that the way one accepts a challenge in anime wasn't actually done in real life.

" _Agreste-san! Prepare to meet your demise!"_

" _Not gonna happen, Kim-san! For I have trained one-hundred days and one-hundred nights with the master himself, Fu-sama!"_

" _You!? Baka! You are not worthy to train under the great Fu-sama! I'll give you one last chance to escape cruel and humiliating defeat!"_

" _And shame my friends and defile my honor? Never! It is you who must walk away if you wish to escape unscathed!"_

" _NANI!? How DARE you! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"_

" _HWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"_

Just as Adrien was imaging how the explosions in that scene would work, his cell phone rang.

"Ah, Nathalie. What's up?" He answered casually, clearing his throat first to make sure it didn't come out sounding too Japanese, "I see. Ummm, I do have a fairly long break right now, but I don't want to risk getting to my last class late, but after that one, I'll be free until eight, so can you have the movers show up around five with my stuff then? Okay, thanks!"

Hanging up the phone with a now-cleared schedule for the next hour, and being too distracted to focus on homework, he found himself at a loss for how he should spend his break. He seated himself on a bench for a while, just enjoying the sunshine and people-watching, occasionally letting his mind drift back to the Kim problem. What games would he stand a chance at against Kim? Was the best way to make a friend through winning or losing? Depending on which one, did that mean he should potentially cheat or let Kim win?

Just when he was beginning to think that perhaps he was overthinking things, a girl in a wheelchair caught his eye. Though not particularly monumental in and of itself, it prompted him to recall the girl he had helped yesterday. He began wondering if she was doing any better today, or if she was still having trouble adjusting to her crutches. She had seemed nice enough, and he rather regretted that he didn't get her number, for he felt that her fall had been partially his fault, and as a responsible party, it would be nice to be able to check in and see how she was faring. Unfortunately, all he had was her name, and a class with her that only met twice a week. Provided she was up to the task of walking, he wouldn't be able to see her again until tomorrow. Maybe then he could apologize to her, that is, if she wasn't still afraid of him. Not that he could blame the girl; the professor had forced the responsibility of taking care of Adrien's new student needs on her shoulders, and then he'd gone and audaciously asked for her continued help, and half-caused a fall that re-injured her ankle. It was a real shame, too… He couldn't help but think that it would be nice to be Marinette's friend. _'No, don't go giving up already; you can still apologize tomorrow!'_ Adrien pep-talked himself, resolving to even go the extra mile and get an apology gift. Perfect, that's how he could spend the rest of his free time until his next class. Only… what should he get?

The on-campus bookstore proved to be less of a gift shop and more of a, well, book shop. There were scarce other items, such as some apparel and everyday items that bore the logo of the university, and something of a convenience store, but he wasn't sure a cup of ramen noodles would make a suitable _"I'm sorry, please don't be afraid of me!"_ gift. Maybe she'd like a candy bar?

"Adrien?" A voice called as he perused the racks of various sugary confections, "Adrien Agreste?!"

He didn't need to turn around to positively identify the voice as belonging to one by the name of 'Chloe Bourgeois'. "Hey, Chloe…" he greeted with his signature plastic smile. Chloe was something of a co-worker, as both their fathers were influential, and on somewhat-friendly terms themselves. Not only had Adrien been forced to model for various businesses owned by the Bourgeois empire, but he also often had the misfortune of doing partner shoots with the girl. It wasn't that he didn't like the girl; in truth, he barely knew her. It was just that she was so unprofessional and had no real talent for modeling, so the shoots were always five times longer than they needed to be, and combined with her abundant energy, always left Adrien feeling drained.

"Oh my gosh! I didn't know you went here!" The yellow-jacketed woman squealed, forcing Adrien into a hug in greeting. Yep, still the same old Chloe, with WAY too much energy to spare. But hey, at least that meant she was friendly, right?

"Yeah, I didn't until yesterday. Finally convinced my dad to let me come." So, it was a bit of a white-lie, but also the easiest explanation.

"Aw, how sweet!"

' _Yep. That's my dad; sweet as molasses.'_

"I'm so touched that you'd try so hard to convince your dad to let you come so we can go to the same college! You really know how to treat a girl!" The blond cooed, letting her hand gently brush his shoulder as she finally released him from her grasp.

' _Wait, what!?'_

"Er, that's not–" Adrien began to explain, though he had no idea how to clear up the misunderstanding without coming across as insulting. It wouldn't have mattered anyway, for Chloe was already prattling on about how he needed to join her and Sabrina after classes so she could give him the grand tour. She was halfway through explaining how she knew all the best places because her dad owned half the real estate on campus when he finally managed to cut in, "Sorry, Chlo', but I have to meet the movers and unpack after classes. Then I also have a thing with a… a friend this evening, so…"

"Weren't you listening, Adrikins?"

' _Adrikins!? Since when did my name change!? I'm NOT okay with this…'_

"I told you that my papa owns the dorms, he can have his employees meet the movers and get your stuff all unpacked for you. Actually, just wait a moment…" She ranted, whipping out her phone, making a quick call and demanding that her dad arrange everything for Adrien's move, including a professional interior designer. "Don't worry, Adrikins, it's going to look fabulous! I just wish you'd convinced your dad a little sooner, then I could've arranged for you to have a dorm house ALL to yourself, just like I've got! I mean, there was a little shortage on housing this year and so I let Sabrina stay in one of the four units in my house. Thanks to that, I had to leave my summer wardrobe at home and my shoe space is a little lacking, but one must make do. I still have the one unit to live in, another unit for my winter clothes, and a unit for my makeup and accessories. Oh, and I had to use part of the game room for school supplies and all those useless textbooks they make you buy."

Before Adrien knew what was happening, Chloe had escorted him out of the bookstore by the hand and was pushing him into a waiting limo. "Now, I have class at two, but what say you and I grab some coffee first?"

"Uh, sure?" Adrien reluctantly agreed. His goal had been to make friends, yes, and he'd never had the chance to properly get to know Chloe before, but with that endless energy she seemed to have… he was going to need all the help that caffeine could provide.

* * *

Collapsing on the bed that the movers and the interior decorator had prepared for him, Adrien felt more than ready to call it a night, even though it was only seven. He must have drifted off, for the next thing he knew, an impatient knock sounded on the door of 221B, and the badgering voice of Kim was beckoning him to arouse.

Still half-asleep and groggy-eyed, Adrien joined the gang in the game room, and to his surprise, what a gang it was. He had assumed it would be just him and Kim, and perhaps the others who resided in the building, but to his surprise, the room was packed to the brim with faces he'd never seen before. Some were there to support Kim, but astonishingly, the gist of the cheers he heard were encouraging him to take Kim down. Seems the man had made a reputation for himself and they all wished to see him defeated, and it didn't matter to them whose hand did the vanquishing.

He was rushed by a golden blur and registered that Chloe had whisked him off to a slightly quieter corner to wish him luck. A strawberry-blonde that Chloe introduced as her friend Sabrina also wished him well and Adrien found himself gracing them with a genuine smile of thanks. At least a couple of people were here to cheer HIM on, and not simply there to see Kim's demise.

"Yo! A quick word, will ya?"

A girl, short in stature, with spiky, hot-pink hair, grappled for his attention, which Chloe reluctantly relented when the girl promised she'd give Adrien some quick tips for beating Kim.

"Ugh, fine. Just, make it quick, Alix!" Chloe huffed, releasing the hold she had on Adrien's arm.

"Alright, Agreste, was it," the pixie-like girl asked, and Adrien nodded in affirmation. "Kim's got a rather strong and accurate swing, so ya'd be better off picking a game where that's not gonna help 'im. My suggestion is the billiards. He's good, but not quite as deadly in it as he is in the others."

Nodding mutely, as he was still in shock from all the over-stimulation, Adrien tried to recall if he even knew the rules on how to play pool. It would seem he was a goner, no matter what game he picked.

"Alright, Agreste; what's it gonna be?" Kim sneered, opening his arms wide to indicate the play tables in the room. The crowd backed away to the sidelines in preparation, but the roar of the crowd crescendoed as they called out suggestions on what he should play to beat Kim. Backing away as he became overwhelmed by their cries, and the implicit pressure, he nearly tripped over a couch that was facing the projector screen. It was then he saw the key to his salvation. Confidence returning as he righted himself once more, he tried to suppress a cocky grin that threatened to betray his plan as he clarified, "I get to pick whichever game I want?"

"Well, it ain't gonna matter which one you pick, but yeah." Kim asserted, crossing his arms to convey his certainty of victory. With a confident smirk of his own, Kim once again prodded, "So pick your poison."

"Very well," the model sighed, feigning defeat, and with a flick of wrist, he grabbed the case that was lying on the table beside the couch and proclaimed its title. "Ultimate Mecha Strike III! This is the game I choose!"

If only he'd had a camera at that moment, for Adrien was relishing how quickly Kim's arrogant demeanor melted into a look of horror.

This particular game for the throne was over in a matter of minutes, and soon the whole throng was cheering 'Agreste! Agreste!' in unison, clapping him on the shoulder, shaking his hand in congratulations, and in Chloe's case, going so far as to give him a 'congratulatory kiss' on the cheek. The act surprised him, but he was a little too caught up in the throes of victory to care much. He had wished there would have been less people, though, as that would've afforded the opportunity to get to know some of them better, maybe make a few friends. He was used to crowds from his model career, but crowds were an inhibitor to friendship. Apparently, the dormitories had a curfew that was strictly enforced, so everyone left at about the same time and thus he never got the chance to have more interpersonal conversations like he had wanted. But it was only his first day, there would be time...

Yawning as he trudged back to his room, he stopped short when he saw a new face unlocking his door across the hall. Leaping at the opportunity to introduce himself and have a one-on-one conversation with a suite-mate, Adrien sprinted the few steps to close the distance, and bursting with the residual confidence he had from his victory, announced, "Hey! I just moved in across the hall from you! My name's Adrien."

Extending his hand eagerly, he regretted putting all of his energy into it when he saw the reluctance on the boy's face. He nonetheless accepted the outstretched hand and introduced himself as 'Nino', but had almost an accusatory timbre to his voice when he followed up, "So you're the new kid in the popular gang everyone's talking about?"

"Er, maybe? I'm not sure what 'the popular gang' is, and I'm not sure who you've been talking to?"

Whipping out his cell phone, Nino pulled up a post on social media, showing it to Adrien and claiming that it was the hottest news all over school. The title read, 'New Kid on the Block Dethrones Kim in Battle of Wits'. Adrien didn't give much thought to it; he was used to being featured in stories and posts all the time, but he thought it was a little ironic that they called Ultimate Mecha Strike III a 'battle of wits'.

"Well yeah, that's me," Adrien answered simply.

When all Nino said in response was, "Ah", Adrien's confidence crumbled and he shuffled his feet nervously, unsure of what to say next. Why was making friends so hard?

"Well, I gotta go; homework and all," Nino announced coldly, excusing himself.

Adrien waved feebly, wondering what he could have done better, and if he'd somehow offended the man.

It was with a troubled mind that Adrien finally found rest, lulled to sleep only by his spent energy.

* * *

" _Oi! Kid! I let you have your 'five more minutes', but you've more than had your beauty sleep! Up and at 'em,"_ Plagg ordered impatiently, _"I'm starvin'!"_

Adrien rubbed the sleep out of eyes, disoriented, not ready to listen to his room-mate's wishes. Wait... He'd gotten a private dorm...

" _Well I've never been called a 'room_ _-_ _mate' before, but if it's more politically correct than 'body_ _-_ _mate' or 'host_ _-_ _mate', I hate it. I prefer to be politically incorrect, as I never get to vote,"_ the demon rambled, hearing Chat's thoughts.

Shaking his head to try and clear the confusion, Chat ruffled his hair and tried to recall yesterday's events. He had moved into a dorm and met some people, then beat someone at a game... What was his name again? Wait, none of that could be right... He'd given up on his dream of going to college and had signed a contract with a demon named Plagg... and yesterday he and Plagg had gotten to work on living arrangements and potential work, and he'd luckily met Ladybug again, and in plain clothes!

" _Oriented now?"_ Plagg inquired almost teasingly, like he was amused by Chat's bizarre dream.

" _More or less,"_ Chat replied, " _Does this always happen to your hosts? Dreaming that they continued on with their life instead of signing the contract?"_

" _Sometimes. It usually wears off by the end of the first week."_

"Perfect," Chat mumbled sarcastically, " _I've got two weeks to impress and convince Ladybug and I'll be disoriented for half that time!"_

" _And you're not off to the best start... There was a bit of a commotion nearby about an hour or so ago, and Ladybug showed up and everything, but I couldn't rouse you. I mean, I did, briefly, but you were so groggy you went right back to sleep, and given how you obviously aren't ready for me to take full possession of your body, I didn't think it wise to do so..."_

" _WHAT!? I missed a chance to prove myself to Ladybug!?"_ Chat cried, sitting bolt upright, now completely awake, _"Holy moly, Plagg! Why didn't you try harder to get me up!?"_

" _Oi! I thought we agreed to drop such profanities!"_

" _Ugh, Plagg! I'm too mad right now to even care about that! 'Sides, 'moly' isn't even a real word so you can't be offended by it!"_

" _How many times do I have to tell you it's the 'H' word that's offensive! I knew you weren't the brightest crayon in the box when I picked you, but man, I didn't think you'd be THIS thick!"_

" _...'H' word?"_ Chat asked, confused, thinking back on all the times Plagg had called him out for profanity the day before. Finally, Plagg's meaning clicked. "Oh! You meant 'holy'!"

Practically hissing, Plagg shushed him, _"Hey now, no need to say it out loud! Do you want to expel me from your body? Trust me, that's not a pleasant experience for either party."_

" _Well sorry, but you could've been more explicit to start with; then you wouldn't have had to hear it so many times."_

" _I thought the point was to cut back on the expletives, not be MORE explicit..."_

" _...Am I just supposed to slap myself when I'm fed up with you?"_

" _Please do; I'd find it highly amusing."_

Rolling his eyes, Chat finally arose from his resting place, grumpily muttering that he needed food before he really did slap himself.

* * *

 **Closing Remarks**

" _Language!"_ is most definitely a Marvel Avengers: Age of Ultron reference. In fact, the running joke of alternative cursing in this chapter all stemmed from that Captain America quote.

 _Dairy-intolerance_ – although Adrien is not shown as being dairy intolerant in the show, I wanted to make him so in this universe, if only to make Plagg suffer as I have suffered. That's right, my friends, this author is dairy-intolerant... and I didn't use to be, so I know EXACTLY what I'm missing. But it wasn't entirely me being cruel, either, for cats really are lactose intolerant, and so I've always wondered why Plagg only eats Camembert cheese in the show... figured it must be a kwami thing. Likewise, Adrien isn't shown as needing glasses in the show, but in this story, they're all aged up and in college now, and seeing as how Mr. Agreste wears glasses, and most adolescents who develop near-sightedness do so during their pubescent years, (and also because I love fanart that features Adrien in glasses,) I figured it wasn't too far-fetched that he now wears them. It also gives him a readily-available tool to determine which universe he's in (once he's awake enough to compute), so hence why Adrien has glasses in my story.

 _About the hacking scene..._ I don't know the first thing about hacking, so hopefully my BS-ing my way through it wasn't too painful to read... I've read a little bit on how file systems work and so the easiest way I could think of to make the data hard to get to was to store it in a format that's not common. (ExFAT is a common format). Basically, the format tells the computer how to get to and read files on your hard drive, so I thought it made sense that if Theo's computer didn't understand the format, it wouldn't be able to read it... not until Theo tells it how it should be read, anyway.

 _Theo_ \- Yes, this is the same Theo best known for his appearance in 'Copycat'. He has appeared in numerous other ML episodes, working in various jobs. He's been an artist, a mover, a boom mic technician, etc... So as a jack of all trades, I figured why not make him my computer hacker in this universe? Probably the biggest different between the show's Theo and my Theo is that my Theo is loaded. I assume that since he has too many odd jobs in the show, he's a struggling artist taking on whatever side jobs he can to make ends meet. But since demon hosts basically start out homeless and jobless, I needed to add in some support characters who can spare a little cash, and who better to do so for Ladybug than someone who has a crush on her?

 _The Star Trek quote_ concerning 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' is pretty self-explanatory. I had the characters explain the results of my research so I wouldn't have to do so here. xD Just wanted to point out that those were indeed the facts, and not just made up for the sake of the story.

Yep, _'practically perfect in every way'_ is a Mary Poppins reference, 'cause I'm Mary Poppins, ya'll! (bonus points to whoever gets THAT reference)

" _Whoever she is underneath, I'll love her"_ is this dimension's version of Chat's line in 'Stone Heart (Origins pt. 2), where he says, "Whoever she is under the mask; I love that girl".

" _My Hero Academia"_ is an actual anime, and you all need to watch it. xD Since Adrien is an anime fan, and not only is this one of the most popular animes right now, but also one that's all about a guy learning how to use his newly acquired powers, I thought it made a great parallel to Adrien learning how to be Chat Noir. Beyond just the premise, I felt like Adrien would really resonate with Deku's character and be drawn to him, and hence why I focused on it as the anime Adrien's most excited to follow right now.

Why yes! Our very own dear Adrien Agreste now resides in _221B Baker Street_... or rather, Bourgeois Street. Shout out to fellow Sherlockians, especially those who loved the books before the BBC show premiered.

The _'Master Fu'_ Adrien references in his mini anime daydream sequence is a reference to the character Master Fu of the Miraculous Ladybug show, but not intended to be the same person. Adrien's 'Master Fu' is purely a figment of his imagination at this point.

 _The challenge scene_ between Adrien and Kim heralds back to Kim's penchant for dares and wagers, as demonstrated in the episode, 'Timebreaker'.

 _Ultimate Mecha Strike III_ is the name of the game they play in the episode 'Gamer', and Adrien is shown to be quite proficient at it, placing (unofficially) second in the whole school. By contrast, Kim is never shown playing it, and is portrayed as a typical jock throughout the show, so I made the extrapolation that his video game expertise is little to none.


End file.
